Is the American suffering from the Steve Peat Curse, round two?

Aaron Gwin won a World Cup downhill race without a chain, and has taken five World Cup race wins in a single season. But despite those many accomplishments, he still hasn’t captured the rainbow stripes.

When Aaron Gwin eventually retires from World Cup racing he will go down as one of the most dominant racers of all time. The American has put 10 seconds on the world’s fastest riders, crushed the entire field without a chain, and proved his heart by racing on nothing but a rim.

With four overall World Cup titles to his name, the only thing left is a World Championship title. But despite all his impressive performances year after year, this one podium has eluded him throughout his career. Between flats, brake explosions, and crashes, Gwin has never put together a clean run. Is this the second coming of the Steve Peat curse, American style? Maybe.